New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Friday as torrential rains brought flash flooding to the Hudson Valley, Long Island and New York City streets. The deluge turned highways into raging rivers and brought half of New York’s subway system to a halt. More than eight inches of rain fell on JFK Airport in just 24 hours — an all-time precipitation record that Governor Hochul blamed on the climate crisis.

Gov. Kathy Hochul: “And, of course, we know this is a result of climate change. This is, unfortunately, what we have to expect as the new normal. It makes us be more prepared than ever before. And it requires us to focus on resiliency to head off the horrific impacts that could be there if we’re not ready for the next storm.”

Meanwhile, New York is under another air quality alert today, triggered by smoke from record-shattering wildfires in Canada.